Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

There is something so cozy and inviting about banana bread (or any variation for that matter). I especially love my Brown Butter Banana Bread, Nutella Banana Bread, Banana Mug Cake and Banana Mini Muffins recipes. These banana bars with chocolate chips is no exception. If you’re a fan of wonderfully moist and tender banana desserts, this recipe is for you.

• Simple pantry ingredients: You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make a batch of quick, simple, soft and chewy banana chocolate bars.
• You love a delicious twist on banana bread. These buttery banana bar cookies taste like a cross between banana bread and blondies.

Before I show you how to make banana and chocolate chip bars, make sure you have these simple ingredients ready to go!

• Dry Ingredients: Gather your flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Wet ingredients: Gather your butter, light brown sugar, an egg, ripe bananas, vanilla extract and regular or mini chocolate chips.

Here are my recommended substitutions to make this recipe for buttery banana blondie bar if you need them.

• All purpose flour: To make this recipe gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour or oat flour. Replace the amount of flour based on weight rather than cups. This banana dessert bar uses 120 g flour.
• Baking Powder:  Replace the baking powder with ? teaspoon baking soda. The texture of the blondie bars will be different but will still taste delicious.
• Melted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter, vegan or plant based butter.
• Light Brown Sugar: This chocolate chip banana bread bar recipe calls for light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this recipe refined sugar free.
• Mashed Banana: Make sure the bananas are fully ripened with some brown spots.
• Egg: This recipe hasn’t been tested without an egg.
• Vanilla Extract: This provides an essential background flavor that pairs perfectly with the banana, light brown sugar and chocolate chips. Use vanilla bean paste if you don’t have vanilla extract.
• Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: Feel free to use of any chips or chocolate chunks you like.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C).  Line an 8×8 (20 cm) pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides. Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the butter and if needed, heat again for 15 seconds.  Cool the melted butter for 10 – 15 minutes or until warm, but not hot. Set aside for now. In another mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk in the cooled butter with the light brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in the egg, mashed bananas and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. The mixture may look a little curdled. That’s totally fine! Once the dry ingredients are mixed in the batter will become smoother. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. I like to do this about ½  of the dry ingredients at a time. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Make sure to reserve some for topping the banana bars before baking.

3. Smooth the banana batter into the prepared pan. Use a flexible spatula to smooth the blonde brownie batter evenly across the pan. Top with more mini chocolate chips if you like.
4. Bake the chocolate chip banana bars for about 30 – 35 minutes or until the sides of the chocolate chip blondies are firm and the center is baked through. A toothpick inserted into the center of the banana blondie bars should come out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool the buttery banana chocolate bars in the pan to room temperature. Once the bars are completely cooled, use the excess sides of parchment paper to gently lift the banana dessert from the pan, slice and enjoy!